Buffalo Chicken Salad with Ranch Cottage Cheese
Buffalo chicken salad is one of those dishes that I hope never falls out of favor on restaurant menus. With the tangy/spicy chicken, the crunchy vegetables, and the creamy ranch dressing, it’s just a perfect combination of flavors and textures.
It’s not, however, always the smartest nutritional choice. Today, I’ve decided to take this restaurant favorite and give it a little makeover (just like I did with my healthy buffalo chicken dip) with this quick, easy and healthier version – Buffalo Chicken Salad with Ranch Cottage Cheese.
That’s right, I subbed out the traditional ranch dressing for ranch-flavored cottage cheese. I know. But trust me, it’s awesome. Friendship Dairies cottage cheese is the Original Superfood, and it subs in for the dressing as a creamy “condiment” of sorts.
Not only does it lend great flavor to the dish, but the protein-rich cottage cheese (15g per serving) is a good source of long-lasting energy. If you’re a fan of cottage cheese like I am, you’ll also love my lasagna with cottage cheese recipe
Buffalo Chicken Salad with Ranch Cottage Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 container (16 ounces) Friendship Dairies cottage cheese
- 1 packet (1 ounce) ranch salad dressing and seasoning mix
- 2 small chicken breasts, grilled or roasted, chopped
- 1/4 cup buffalo sauce
- 1 large head Romaine lettuce
- 2 carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
Instructions
- In medium bowl, stir together cottage cheese and ranch mix until well combined.
- In separate medium bowl, toss chicken and buffalo sauce until well combined.
- Divide lettuce between 4 plates and top with carrots, celery, tomatoes, cottage cheese and chicken.
I never hoped on the cottage cheese train but I feel like a ranched flavored one would change my mind. It takes it out of health food mode for me and makes it more fun. Plus this salad just looks too good to say no to!
Thanks Susan! I must admit that it does feel a little weird eating something so healthy (cottage cheese) that tastes like RANCH DRESSING. But it’s a good weird!
This salad is so gorgeous! I love the idea of ranch cottage cheese – that’s so creative!
Thanks Lauren! Ranch all the things!
It’s been forever since I’ve eaten cottage cheese, and I think I will buy it next time I’m at the store to try that ranch cottage cheese!
Oh, really? Cottage cheese is a weekly staple in my house.
I love cottage cheese instead of dressing but haven’t thought to season it like ranch. Genius!
Thanks so much, Mary!
I must say, I was very nervous about the prospects of ranch cottage cheese. But it was so delicious. I have always loved buffalo chicken salads – its the manliest of all restaurant salads.
I have only recently become acquainted with buffalo chicken, and this recipe sounds great (as long as I use cucumber instead of celery). I am curious to know if the cottage cheese acts as a dressing – does it spread over the salad? I’m thinking that it might work as a dressing if I ran it through my blender. That would keep my husband from pouring balsamic vinegar all over it, too… 🙂
Oh, cucumber instead of celery would definitely work here. So, as far as the cottage cheese acting as dressing – it kind of depends on how “wet” the cottage cheese is, if that makes sense. And also, how you like your salads dressed. I like a pretty light amount of dressing, so this worked for me. My husband prefers a little more dressing, and we actually happened to have regular ranch dressing in the fridge, so he added a little to his salad.
But also – running the cottage cheese through a blender (maybe with a little water or milk?) could be a perfect middle ground. I made a creamy “pasta sauce” from cottage cheese a few weeks ago by blending it, and it worked out really well. So I can see it working as a smooth salad dressing, too.
Ooh, that chicken looks delicious.
Thanks so much, Julie!
That ranch cottage cheese is calling to me right now. Mixed with buffalo chicken – just brilliant!
I must confess that I’ve been eating the extra ranch cottage cheese just on it’s own 🙂 LOL.
My buffalo chicken cravings know no limits. This salad has won my heart!
I mean seriously, I can just never resist buffalo chicken anything. Thanks Jennie!